There was a girl in my class who often came to school without lunch. She was quiet, shy, and always wore the same calm smile, no matter what the day brought. During lunchtime, while everyone unwrapped sandwiches and opened lunchboxes brimming with snacks and fruit, she would sit quietly, pretending she wasn’t hungry. When someone asked if she had forgotten her lunch, she would laugh softly and say, “My mom forgot again,” as if it were no big deal. Most people accepted that answer and moved on. But something about the way she said it—gentle, embarrassed, yet hopeful—stayed with me....
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